Rotary-drum programming timer device

ABSTRACT

A revolving-drum programming device is disclosed, which essentially comprises a grooved intermittently driven main drum, a comblike member in which a few teeth are left unaltered and others are suppressed, said comblike members being inserted in the drum grooves, a spatial cam rotated so as to make a revolution at every stepwise movement of the drum, said cam cooperating with a first cam follower, a second follower being provided, mechanically connected to the first follower so as to positively or negatively engage the teeth of said comblike members, the second follower being connected to a signal generating device. The apparatus can be supplemented by additional main drums and one or more auxiliary drums, so as to provide a wide range presetting for the cases in which certain points of the programme are to be suppressed or repeated. The advantage is to provide a compact assembly along with an accurate presetting of programmes, which can be set, even minute by minute, for periods as long as an entire week. The programming device can be used, for example, for controlling the lighting of luminous signs, for periodically actuating sound signalling devices and for many other like uses.

Solari 41 ROTARY-DRUM PROGRAMMING TIMER DEVICE [75] lnventor: FermoSolari, Udine, Italy [73] Assignee: Solari & C/Udine S.p.A., Udine,

Italy [22 Filed: Nov. 3, 11972 [2]] Appl. No.: 303,656

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Nov. 5, l97l Italy '30748 A/7l[52] U.S. CL- 200/38 CA, ZOO/27 B, 200/33 B,

[56] References Cited H UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,692,534 10/1954 P111655200/38 CA x 2,274,773 2/1959 Lorenz 200/27 B x 3,735,063 5/1973Stillbert 200/27 B x 1,317,109 9/1919 Sohni 200/33 13 ux 2,045,2516/1936 Raber 200/37 A X I I l 2 k :1

Wimllllll llllllll [451 May 14,1974

Primary Examiner-James R. Scott Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Eric H. Waters571 ABSTRACT A revolving-drum programming device is disclosed,

which essentially comprises a grooved intermittently driven main drum, acomblike member in which a few teeth are left unaltered and others aresuppressed, said comblike members being inserted in the drum grooves, aspatial cam rotated so as to make a revolution at every stepwisemovement of the drum, said cam cooperating with a first cam follower,a.second follower being provided, mechanicallyconnected-to the firstfollower so as to positively or negatively engage the teeth of saidcomblike members, the second follower being connected to a signalgenerating device. The apparatus can be supplemented by additional maindrums and one or more auxiliary drums, so as to provide a wide rangepresetting-for the cases. in which certain points of the programme areto be suppressed or repeated. The advantage is to provide a compactassembly along with an accurate presetting of programmes, which can beset, even minute by minute, for periods as long as an entire week. Theprogramming device can be used, for example, for controlling thelighting of luminous signs, for periodically actuating sound signallingdevices and for many other like uses.

8 Claims, 1l Drawing Figures PATENTEDNAY 14 974 SHEET 3 OF 5 PATENTEDm14 mm 3.81 1.019

' sum nr a V) 31 x 45 27 v 29 the drum.

The defect of the known programming devices of this kind is that, if aprogram during a longtime is desired,

or, as an alternative a program which is divided into many fractions isdesired; it becomes necessary to equip the programming device with adrum having a comparatively large diameter, the result being an increaseof both the bulk and thecost of the programming device as such,otherwise, the user should content himself with a programming capacitywhich is sometimes undesirably narrow.'

The principal object of the present invention is thus to provide aprogramming device which happily combines a comparatively limited bulkand cost with a high programming capacity. More particularly, it isdesired to provide a programming device having a restricted bulk and alow cost and which is capable of covering the entire 24-hour span with afractioning of the program which can attain 1 minute, that is, having asmany as 1,440 programming positions.

Another object of the present-invention is then to .provide aprogramming device which combines, with the above mentioned favourablequalities, also that of being able to develop a number ofdifferentprograms simultaneously, and this, obviously, in order to enable it tobe used for the simultaneous monitoring ofa number of utilizationdevices having different programming requirements.

A further object of the present invention is, lastly, to provide aprogramming device which, in addition to the fabourable propertiesenumerated above, is capable of permitting the periodic suppression ofoneor more programmes during preselected time intervals, thissuppression being capable of repetition for several performances of thesame programme. More particularly, it is desired to be enabled toexclude a daily program during a preselected numberof hours, such as 12or 24 hours, while being enabled to program the possible repetition ofthe suppression of the program during more than one day of a week.

Having these objects in view, the programming device according to thisinvention, is essentially characterized in that it comprises at least amain rotatable drum which is rotated stepwise about its own axis, onwhose cylindrical surface there are formed as many axialcircumferentially evenly spaced apart grooves as there are steps, equalto one another, as performed by the drum during one revolution thereof,a comblike member longitudinally inserted in each of said grooves withits teeth directed towards the outside of the drum and projectingtherefrom, said comblike member being equipped with a plurality oflongitudinally evenly spaced apart teeth, a few of which are removedsoas to define apreselected or optionally variable sequence of eithermaintained or suppressed teeth, a cam controlled so as to be rotatedthrough an entire revolution for every step by which the drum is causedto advance, said cam being so shaped as to define, for a first followermaintained in engagement therewith, as many workstations as there areteeth, either maintained or removed, of each comblike member, at least asecond follower connected to said first follower so as to be shiftedfrom the engagement with one tooth to the engagement with the followingtooth out of said maintained or removed teeth of each comblike memberand, then, in combination with a forward step of the drum, intoengagement with the first tooth of the next comblike member at everyshift of the first follower from the one to the other of said workstations, and signalgenerating means associated to the second followerso as to emit signals of different value consistently with theengagement of said second follower either with a maintained tooth or, aremoved tooth of a comblike member.

It is apparent that a so devised programming device permits theoperation of a program divided into a number of steps which equals theproduct of the number of the axial grooves and thus of the forwardsteps) of the drum by the number of the teeth, either maintained orremoved, of the comblike members (and thus of the .work positions of thefirst follower), that which is equivalent to permit the performance of aprogramme which is much extended in time and/or divided into manyfractions, while maintaining both the bulk and the cost of theprogramming device within an acceptable range. More particularly, byusing a drum having 144 grooves with comblike members having 10 teetheach and by controlling the cam so as to have it to make a completerevolution every eleventh minute, a programming device cam be obtained,which is capable of performing a complete 24-hour programme whoseoperation has the accuracy of one minute, that is, a programming devicecapable of monitoring in the best possible way the daily sequence ofactuation of a luminuous sign, a lighting appliance or a soundsignalling device. It should also be noticed that the mere replacementof the comblike members by other members having a different sequence ofmaintained and removed teethmakes a programme change both very easy andquick.

Another important feature of the programming device according to theinvention is then the fact that it comprises at least an auxiliary drumwhich is rotated stepwise about its own axis, which is matched to themain drum so as to be driven a step forward at each revolution (orfraction of revolution) of the main drum aforesaid, the auxiliary drumhaving a plurality of circumferentially evenly spaced apart axialgrooves whose number is the same as that of the steps, which are allequal, gone through by said auxiliary drum during a complete revolutionthereof, each of said grooves housing a shaped plate which is engaged byan extension of the second follower so as to remove the engagement ofthe second follower with the comblike member which has been selected atthat instant of time.

The provision of said auxiliary drum with the relative plates fordisengaging the second follower from the comblike members of the maindrum, obviously permits to preselect an instantaneous respite, which canbe possibly repeated, of the present programme. More particularly, byassociating to a main drum having 144 grooves and lO-tooth comblikemembers, an auxiliary drum equipped with seven grooves and driven so asto go a step forward atevery complete revolution of the main drum (orequipped with 14 grooves and driven to device as described may beextended to an embodiment which is capable of carrying out a number ofdifferent programmes simultaneously. This object can be achieved, infact, by merely adding to the main drum -aforementioned additional maindrums equal thereto,

which are coaxially arranged and integrally mounted therewith, and byadding to the second follower aforesaid, additional second followersconnected to the first one and/or to the second follower mentioned aboveso as to engage the comblike members of said additional 'main drumssimultaneously and just in the same way in which the second followerengages the comblike members of the first main drum. Likewise, if it isdesired to have also the possibility of presetting a periodical re spitefor the additional programmes, the auxiliary drum mentioned above shouldbe implemented with addi- ,tional similar drums equipped with groovesinto which further plates can be inserted for the disengagement of theadditional followers aforementioned.

The features of the present invention, along with the advantagesstemming therefrom, will be better understood from the scrutiny of theensuing detailed description of an embodiment which is shown by way ofexample only in the accompanying drawings, wherein FIG. 1 is aperspective view, with parts shown in section, of a programming deviceaccording to the invention, which has been provided for carrying out a24- hour programme divided to the minute, it being possible to exclude,either partially or as a whole, the programme for one or more days of aweek.

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the follower actuating cam with whichthe programming device of FIG. 1 is equipped.

FIG. 3 is a showing of the cam aforesaid, as developed on a planarsurface.

FIG. 4-is a cross-sectional view, taken along the line IV-IV of FIG. 2,of the cam mentioned above.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view, taken along the line VV of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a crosssectional view taken along the line VIVI of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 7 and 8 are plan views, partly in section, which show twodifferent stages of the engagement of the cam of FIGS. 2 to 4 with therelative first follower.

FIGS. 9 and 10 are horizontal cross-sectional views which show twodifferent stages of the engagement of .either main drum with therelevant secondfollower.

. clockwork (not shown). To either end of the shaft 1 is 4 keyed a gear2, which is in mesh with another gear 3 integral with a wheel 4 fittedwith a hollow space 5 which is adapted to engage, at every revolution ofthe wheel 4, either of two staggered crown gears 6 and 7, which equip agear 8 integral with a pinion 9, the latter being in mesh with a crowngear 10. The gear ratio as produced by the gears 2 and 3, the gears 4and the pinion 9 and the crown gear 10 is such as to cause the latter togo through a step forward which is equal to one onehundred forty-fourthof a revolution at every complete revolution of the drive shaft 1.

The shaft 1 idly carries, with the intermediary of a hub 11, an assemblyof six equal main drums, which are coaxial and integral with oneanother, 12, each of which has 144 axially oriented andcircumferentially equally spaced apart grooves 13, in each of which acomblike member 14 is inserted FIG. 5), equipped with a plurality oflongitudinally evenly spaced apart teeth, a few of which have beenremoved so as to provide a preselected sequence which is anyhowvariable, of retained teeth 15 and of removed teeth 16. The set of sixdrums 12 is matched with the crown gear 10 by means of a leaf spring 17,which allows the drums 12 to be driven in the direction of the arrow 7(also showing the direction of rotation of the crown gear 10) withrespect to the crown gear 10, but not in the opposite direction.

To the opposite end of the drive shaft 1 a cam 18 is keyed, in whosecylindrical surface a hollow space 19 is formed, which is divided intoten sectors having all the same circumferential span (FIG. 4), eachsector being composed by a cylindrical portion 20 and a portion 21 withdecreasing radius. Nine of these sectors have the portion 21 which isevolved by remaining at a constant level relative to the axialdevelopment of the cam and the portion 20 which goes downwards towardsthe lower end of the cam, whereas the 10th sector has the portion 21 ata constant level and the portion 20 which rises to become connected withthe portion 21 of the first sector (FIGS. 2 and 3).

The hollow space 19 of the cam 18 engages a timing mechanism 22 which isa part of a first follower 23, which, together with another arm 24 and across-piece 25, makes up a frame 26 which is rotatable about the axis ofa supporting shaft 27 and is axially slidable therewith. Due to theengagement existing between the timing mechanism 22 and the hollow space19 of the cam 18 (such an engagement is maintained by a spring 28) anddue to the specially provided trend of the hollow space 19, the follower23 and, generally, the frame 26, are driven so as to go through a firstclockwise rotary movement (timing mechanism 22 in correspondence with aportion 21, FIG. 7), a second axial displacement movement in thedirection of the arrow A (timing mechanism 22 in correspondence with aportion 20, FIG. 8), and a third anticlockwise rotary movement (timingmechanism in correspondence with a connecting step between a portion 20and the subsequent portion 21) for each of the first nine sectorsenumerated above and a first movement of axial displacement in thedirection of the arrow B and a third movement of rotation in thecounterclockwise direction for the tenth sector.

To the shaft 27 are keyed, to be supported thereby, six second followers29, every one of which is pulled towards the cross-piece 25, and thustowards the grooved surface of a respective drum 12, by a spring lizingappliance controlled by the relative drum 12.

To the hub 11 of the drum assembly 12 there is then keyed a twin cam 33(FIG. 1), with whose shaped outline is kept engaged, by a spring 34, astud 35 projecting from a pawl 36, the latter being engaged by arotatable plate 37, which also engages a leverheld at 38 upon which aspring 39 is active. The plate 37, having a fourteen pins 40,circumferentially evenly spaced apart, is keyed to an idle shaft 41, towhich there is also keyed a set of six auxiliary drums 42 arranged incorrespondence with the respective drums 12' and having the same axiallength thereof. Each of the auxiliary drums 42 has fourteencircumferentially equally spaced apart axial grooves 43, in a few ofwhich there are introduced (according to a preselected number andsequence) rectangular plates 44 having a length equal to that of thegrooves aforesaid (FIG. 6). The plates 44, which protrude from thegrooves in which they have been inserted, are intended for engagement byexternal projections 45 of the followers 29 so as to disengage the studs31 of the followers from the comblike members 14 as selected each at theappropriate time.

In operation, the drive shaft 1 controls, as outlined above, the drumset 12 to make a step forward equal to one one-hundred forty-fourth of arevolution for every revolution of the shaft 1, so as to offer, eachtime, a different eomblike member to be engaged by the. followers 29.Simultaneously, the cam 18 is rotated and causes the follower 23 to gothrough nine groups of movement of clockwise rotation, translation inthe direction of the arrow A and anticlockwise rotation; along with atenth group of movements of clockwise rotation, translation in thedirection of the arrow B and anticlockwise rotation. Correspondingly, asthey are bound to the frame 26 by means of the shaft 27 and the springs30, the followers 29 are displaced from one to another of the severalretained and removed teeth of the comblike members 14 of the respectivedrums l2, and then, as they reach the last tooth of the respectivecomblike member, they are shifted so as to engage the first tooth of thenext comblike member, by exploiting the combination of a step forward ofthe drums 12 and a shift of the timing device 22 of the follower 23 fromone end to the other of the tenth sector having a rising portion 20 ofthe hollow space 19 of the cam 18. By so doing, during an entirerevolution of the respective drum 12, each of the followers 29 scansI440 teeth of comblike members, thus carrying out a programme as long as24 hours, which is divided into one-minute intervals. During progress ofthe performance of such a programme, obviously, the microswitches 32will deliver signals of different values (corresponding to actuation andde-energization of the respective utilizing devices) as a function ofthe engagement of the followers 29 either with retained teeth or removedteeth of the comblike members which are sequentially being scanned.FIGS. 9 and show the operation of the studs 31 and the microswitches 32in the two different conditions of engagement of the followers 29 withremoved teeth. 16 and retained teeth of the comblike members.

At every half revolution of the drums 12, that is, every thirteenthhour, the twin cam 33 meanwhile controls first a slow lift and then anabrupt drop of the pawl 36, which thus causes the gear 37 to go a stepforward concurrently with the drums 42. As one of the plates 44 engagesthe extension 45 of the relative follower 29, the latter, by stayinglifted (FIG. 11), prevents its pin 31 from engaging the comblike memberwhich has been selected at that instant of time. This fact involves thesuppression of the programme during a period of time which, on accountof the shape of the plates 44 and lhe rate of forward feed of the rotaryplate 37, lasts as long as 12 hours. Since each drum 42 has 14 grooves43 which can be fitted with plates 44, it becomes thus possible toprovide one or more respites of a programme during 12 hours in theentire week span.

It should also be noticed that the particular unidirectional matchobtained between the leaf spring 17 and the crown gear 10 permits todisplace the drums 12 relative to the crown gear 10 and thus relative tothe drive shaft 1, so as to preset the initial points of the severalprogrammes.

What is claimed is:

l. A programming device comprising at least one cylindrical main drum,means for imparting incremental stepwise rotation to said drum about itslongitudinal axis, said drum having formed on its outer cylindricalsurface a plurality of circumferentially equidistantly spaced apartaxially extending longitudinal grooves corresponding to the number ofrotational steps imparted to said drum during each complete revolutionthereof; an elongate comblike member longitudinally extending inrespectively each of said grooves and having teeth pointing radiallyoutwardly of said drum and projecting therefrom, each said comblikemember including a plurality of said teeth in longitudinally equallyspaced apart relationship, at least some of said teeth being removed soas to provide preselective variable sequence of teeth and tooth gaps, arotary cam operatively to said main drum; means for rotating said camone revolution about its rotational axis for each incremental rotationalforward step of said drum; a first cam follower in operative engagementwith said cam; said rotary cam having a camming sequence defining asmany work positions different from each other in correspondence with themaintained teeth and tooth gaps in each of said comblike members; atleast one second follower engageable with the teeth of each saidcomblike member; means operatively connecting said second follower tosaid first follower so as to be movable from engagement with one teethto engagement with a following one of said maintained teeth and toothgaps of each said comblike member and, subsequently in conjunction witha forward incremental step of said drum into engagement with a firsttooth of an adjacent following comblike member at each shift of saidfirst follower from one to another of said work positions on said rotarycam; and signal generating means operatively connected to said secondfollower and adapted to emit signals of different values responsive toengagement of said second follower with either a maintained tooth ortooth gap of the comblike member being engaged thereby.

2. A programming device according to claim 1, said rotary cam includinga peripheral groove extending thereabout, said groove being formed intoa plurality of contiguous groove sectors conforming in number to theteeth of one each of said comblike members, each but a last one of saidgroove sectors being formed by a first portion having an increasingradius and a constant height with respect to the cam rotational axis andby a second portion having a constant radius and a height which isvariable with respect to the cam rotational axis, the last groove sectorbeing formed by a first portion with increasing radius and a constantheight with respect to the cam rotational axis and a second portionhaving a radius constant and a height variable in an inverserelationship with respect to the cam rotational axis so as to beconnected with a first end of a first groove sector, the further end ofeach successive groove sector communicating with a first end of eachsubsequent contiguous groove sector by a step having a decreasingradius; said first follower comprising a timing mechanism maintained inengagement with said cam groove.

3. A programming device according to claim 2, comprising an armrotatable about an axis parallel to the axis of said main drum; meansfor translating said arm along said drum; said timing means beingfastened to said arm; said second follower comprising a pin foractuating said signal generating means; a lever rotatable about an axisparallel to that of the drum slidably supporting said pin; resilientmeans connecting said lever to said arm so as to urge said lever into acondition of engagement of said pin with the teeth of the comblikemember being selected from time to time, and said resilient meanssimultaneously impressing on said lever a rotation so as to beresiliently responsive to the rotation of said arm while fastened tosaid arm so as to follow the translational motions thereof.

4. A programming device according to claim 1, comprising at least oneauxiliary drum adapted to be incrementally rotated stepwise about itslongitudinal axis; means operatively connecting said auxiliary drum tosaid main drum so as to be driven thereby through a forward incrementalstep for at least every fraction of revolution of said main drum, saidauxiliary drum having on its outer cylindrical surface a plurality ofcircumferentially equidistantly spaced apart axially extendinglongitudinal grooves corresponding to the number of rotational stepsimparted to said auxiliary drum during each full revolution thereof; ashaped plate being located in each of said grooves; an extension on thesecond follower being adapted to engage said plate so as to lift saidsecond follower from engagement with the comblike member selected atthat instant of time.

5. A programming device according to claim 1, said main drum comprising144 axial grooves, and each of said comblike members having 10 teethincluding said maintained teeth and said tooth gaps.

6. A programming device according to claim 4, said auxiliary drum having14 axial grooves, said means operatively connecting said auxiliary drumto the main drum so as to impart to the former an incremental stepforward at each half-revolution of said main drum.

7. A programming device according to claim 4, comprises a plurality offurther main drums; said further main drums being coaxial and integrallyfastened to additional second followers.

1. A programming device comprising at least one cylindrical main drum,means for imparting incremental stepwise rotation to said drum about itslongitudinal axis, said drum having formed on its outer cylindricalsurface a plurality of circumferentially equidistantly spaced apartaxially extending longitudinal grooves corresponding to the number ofrotational steps imparted to said drum during each complete revolutionthereof; an elongate comblike member longitudinally extending inrespectively each of said grooves and having teeth pointing radiallyoutwardly of said drum and projecting therefrom, each said comblikemember including a plurality of said teeth in longitudinally equallyspaced apart relationship, at least some of said teeth being removed soas to provide preselective variable sequence of teeth and tooth gaps, arotary cam operatively to said main drum; means for rotating said camone revolution about its rotational axis for each incremental rotationalforward step of said drum; a first cam follower in operative engagementwith said cam; said rotary cam having a camming sequence defining asmany work positions different from each other in correspondence with themaintained teeth and tooth gaps in each of said comblike members; atleast one second follower engageable with the teeth of each saidcomblike member; means operatively connecting said second follower tosaid first follower so as to be movable from engagement with one teethto engagement with a following one of said maintained teeth and toothgaps of each said comblike member and, subsequently in conjunction witha forward incremental step of said drum into engagement with a firsttooth of an adjacent following comblike member at each shift of saidfirst follower from one to another of said work positions on said rotarycam; and signal generating means operatively connected to said secondfollower and adapted to emit signals of different values responsive toengagement of said second follower with either a maintained tooth ortooth gap of the comblike member being engaged thereby.
 2. A programmingdevice according to claim 1, said rotary cam including a peripheralgroove extending thereabout, said groove being formed into a pluralityof contiguous groove sectors conforming in number to the teeth of oneeach of said comblike members, each but a last one of said groovesectors being formed by a first portion having an increasing radius anda constant height with respect to the cam rotational axis and by asecond portion having a constant radius and a height which is variablewith respect to the cam rotational axis, the last groove sector beingformed by a first portion with increasing radius and a constant heightwith respect to the cam rotational axis and a second portion having aradius constant and a height variable in an inverse relationship withrespect to the cam rotational axis so as to be connected with a firstend of a first groove sector, the further end of each successive groovesector communicating with a first end of each subsequent contiguousgroove sector by a step having a decreasing radius; said first followercomprising a timing mechanism maintained in engagement with said camgroove.
 3. A programming device according to claim 2, comprising an armrotatable about an axis parallel to the axis of said main drum; meansfor translating said arm along said drum; said timing means beingfastened to said arm; said second follower comprising a pin foractuating said signal generating means; a lever rotatable about an axisparallel to that of the drum slidably supporting said pin; resilientmeans connecting said lever to said arm so as to urge said lever into acondition of engagement of said pin with the teeth of the comblikemember being selectEd from time to time, and said resilient meanssimultaneously impressing on said lever a rotation so as to beresiliently responsive to the rotation of said arm while fastened tosaid arm so as to follow the translational motions thereof.
 4. Aprogramming device according to claim 1, comprising at least oneauxiliary drum adapted to be incrementally rotated stepwise about itslongitudinal axis; means operatively connecting said auxiliary drum tosaid main drum so as to be driven thereby through a forward incrementalstep for at least every fraction of revolution of said main drum, saidauxiliary drum having on its outer cylindrical surface a plurality ofcircumferentially equidistantly spaced apart axially extendinglongitudinal grooves corresponding to the number of rotational stepsimparted to said auxiliary drum during each full revolution thereof; ashaped plate being located in each of said grooves; an extension on thesecond follower being adapted to engage said plate so as to lift saidsecond follower from engagement with the comblike member selected atthat instant of time.
 5. A programming device according to claim 1, saidmain drum comprising 144 axial grooves, and each of said comblikemembers having 10 teeth including said maintained teeth and said toothgaps.
 6. A programming device according to claim 4, said auxiliary drumhaving 14 axial grooves, said means operatively connecting saidauxiliary drum to the main drum so as to impart to the former anincremental step forward at each half-revolution of said main drum.
 7. Aprogramming device according to claim 4, comprises a plurality offurther main drums; said further main drums being coaxial and integrallyfastened to said main drum; and additional second followers beingoperatively connected to said first follower and said second followeradapted to simultaneously engage the comblike members of said additionalmain drums and in the same manner in which said first-mentioned secondfollower engages the comblike members of said main drum.
 8. Aprogramming device according to claim 7, comprising additional auxiliarydrums in coaxial relationship with and integrally fastened to saidauxiliary drum, said additional auxiliary drums having grooves adaptedto house additional shaped plates for disengaging said additional secondfollowers.